
The Black Shirt Story
For years, people have asked why I wear black. Some believe it is sophisticated. Others think it is branding.
Philippine Examiner - News Magazine - : For Men
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For years, people have asked why I wear black. Some believe it is sophisticated. Others think it is branding.

There is a type of man people notice immediately. Not because he is loud. Not because he dominates the room. Not because he wears a suit tight enough to stop blood circulation. But because he looks calm. Controlled. Relaxed. And strangely powerful at the same time.

There is a very thin line between looking stylish and looking like you lost a bet with a designer. Modern fashion is dangerous that way.

A man walks into a room. Before he says a single word, before he introduces himself and before anyone knows his job, education, or bank account, the judging has already started.

Wearing white as a man is dangerous. Done correctly, it looks elegant, expensive, relaxed, and effortlessly sophisticated. Done incorrectly…

There comes a moment in every man’s life when he looks in the mirror and notices something terrifying. A new wrinkle. A slower metabolism. A mysterious sound from the knees when standing up. And suddenly he thinks: “That’s it. The young guys are winning now.”

There are two kinds of men at airports. The first man arrives looking calm, polished, and effortlessly sophisticated. He moves through the terminal with a fitted jacket, clean shoes, a proper travel bag, and the quiet confidence of someone who has never fought emotionally with a boarding pass.

Every man notices it eventually. You arrive in Europe thinking you dressed reasonably well.

There is a strange paradox in modern style. The more some men try to look rich, the less wealthy they actually appear.

There is a very thin line between looking stylish and looking like you lost a bet with a designer. Modern fashion is dangerous that way.